I'm already excited for 2012, but it's such a long way away.
I think I'll post a running blog of blurbs I see that might be of interest for the 2012 idp season.
I also welcome all commentary on said blurbs, as well as any insight on the ever changing idp landscape.

Speaking at his introductory press conference Tuesday, new Bucs DC Bill Sheridan didn't commit to Mason Foster as his starting middle linebacker.
Sheridan hinted that Foster could be shifted outside.

New DC Dave Wannstedt has singled out MLB Kelvin Sheppard as a nucleus player on the Bills defense.
"I've got all the confidence in the world with Shep," said Wannstedt. "To me he's about what you're looking for in a 4-3 middle linebacker. ... I think it's going to fit his skills to a 'T'. I think he's going to be a very, very productive player for us."

49ers GM Trent Baalke confirmed that OLB Aldon Smith is headed for a full-time role in 2012.
"Yeah, I think that's safe to say, yes," said Baalke, nearly laughing. Smith racked up 14 regular-season sacks as a rookie despite playing exclusively on nickel downs, mostly at defensive end. The Niners are expected to move on from free agent Ahmad Brooks.

Titans coach Mike Munchak believes Colin McCarthy is ready for an expanded role next season, and feels comfortable using him as a ''three down linebacker.''
"He has some learning to do — he’s a young man — but we’re excited about his progression, the way he finished the season and the energy he brings to the defense," Munchak said. "So everything is a plus with him. He is the kind of player you love to have on your football team. We feel very comfortable having him in there on all three downs."

from profootballfocus:

week 11-
At middle linebacker, Barrett Ruud was back to start the game, but after 36% of snaps Colin McCarthy took over and played the rest of the game

week 12 - Titans 23, Bucs 17

At middle linebacker Barrett Ruud missed his second game in three weeks, so Colin McCarthy played every down and again played well.

The Seahawks plan to use newly acquired Jason Jones all around the defensive line, but will feature him as an inside rusher in the nickel.
Jones may see some time at end on early downs, but he will primarily be a pass-rushing defensive tackle. That's his strength. "We're hoping that we can really feature him in all of our nickel package stuff," said coach Pete Carroll. "... We'd like to see him as an inside rusher for those packages and then we'll play him some outside and times in some different spots that try to utilize his quickness. ... He's got big-play ability to him."

Jets CB Antonio Cromartie hinted on Twitter Sunday evening that he may move to free safety in 2012.
Cromartie hinted that the coaches have already approached him about the move, and he says he wouldn't mind. Cromartie also pointed out that Kyle Wilson is emerging as a starting-caliber cornerback

Robert Mathis will play strong-side outside linebacker in the Colts' new hybrid defensive scheme.

Texans ILB Darryl Sharpton will move into the starting lineup next to Brian Cushing following Tuesday's trade of DeMeco Ryans.

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips expects Kareem Jackson to return as the Texans' starting right corner in 2012.
The Texans lost Jason Allen, with whom Jackson rotated in 2011, and they'll count on him to be a full-time player in 2012. "I think Kareem’s the starter," Phillips said.
Titans signed DE Kamerion Wimbley to a five-year, $35 million contract.
he will play right end in Tennessee's 4-3 defense.

Jamar Chaney (neck surgery) is expected to shift to strong-side linebacker following the acquisition of MLB DeMeco Ryans.
Brian Rolle will stay on the weak side, leaving Akeem Jordan as the odd man out. Chaney will likely give way to Casey Matthews or Keenan Clayton on passing downs

Texans ILB Darryl Sharpton will move into the starting lineup next to Brian Cushing following Tuesday's trade of DeMeco Ryans.

bowman 2.0 here maybe.

"Seeing your kid for the first time is electricfying, like Deion Sanders" - Mr. Furley
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"i'd take a beatdown from Brad Lohaus in the name of hilarity" - Mr. Furley********************************************************************************

The Cincinnati Enquirer deems Taylor Mays the leading candidate to replace the recently released Chris Crocker at strong safety.

Dolphins signed SS Tyrell Johnson, formerly of the Vikings.
Johnson is a candidate to replace Yeremiah Bell as the Dolphins' in-the-box safety.

Colts CB Kevin Thomas has a chance to start opposite Jerraud Powers this season.
A third-round pick in 2010, Thomas has the size to fit what new coach Chuck Pagano wants to do defensively, but lost his rookie campaign to knee surgery and appeared in just nine games last season

*Just because Dwight Freeney is going to be playing outside linebacker in the Colts new defense does not mean he is going to be covering Andre Johnson. Colts coach Chuck Pagano tells me he envisions Freeney is a very similar role to the one Terrell Suggs plays for the Ravens. The former Baltimore defensive coordinator estimates Suggs has dropped between five and 10 percent of the time, as will Freeney. “Suggs’ hand is in the dirt way more than he is standing up,” Pagano said. “I’d be crazy to have those guys dropping more than rushing…. If I dropped Suggs too much, they probably would have fired me midseason.”

*The Texans took DeMeco Ryans off the field on third downs last season, but the Eagles see their new middle linebacker as a three down player. In fact, coach Andy Reid tells me Ryans has a “pretty good feel” for nickel play, as well as the smarts, intangibles and leadership for the position

[i]*Just because Dwight Freeney is going to be playing outside linebacker in the Colts new defense does not mean he is going to be covering Andre Johnson. Colts coach Chuck Pagano tells me he envisions Freeney is a very similar role to the one Terrell Suggs plays for the Ravens. The former Baltimore defensive coordinator estimates Suggs has dropped between five and 10 percent of the time, as will Freeney. “Suggs’ hand is in the dirt way more than he is standing up,” Pagano said. “I’d be crazy to have those guys dropping more than rushing…. If I dropped Suggs too much, they probably would have fired me midseason.

So, should we be taking the bolded as an indication that Suggs will still be classified as a DE by the team, as the Ravens do with Suggs?

Barrett Ruud is expected to start at middle linebacker for the Seahawks this season.
"They like his veteran presence and his knowledge of the system," a team source tells Pro Football Weekly. Ruud played under DC Gus Bradley with the Bucs from 2007-08. He'll be taken off the field on passing downs, when the Seahawks use their "Big Nickel" alignment with SS Kam Chancellor moving to the middle.

Barrett Ruud is expected to start at middle linebacker for the Seahawks this season.
"They like his veteran presence and his knowledge of the system," a team source tells Pro Football Weekly. Ruud played under DC Gus Bradley with the Bucs from 2007-08. He'll be taken off the field on passing downs, when the Seahawks use their "Big Nickel" alignment with SS Kam Chancellor moving to the middle.

Raiders MLB Rolando McClain underwent stem-cell therapy to address chronic pain in his knee and ankle this offseason.
"I’ve been having two seasons of nagging pain in my knee," conceded McClain, who says he now "feels a lot better." A radiologist in Gulf Shores injected fat cells from other parts of McClain's body into the knee and the area of a previous high ankle sprain. McClain is now working out five days per week, and says he's able to sprint "with hardly any pain at all."

Jerry Hughes is working as Robert Mathis' backup at strong-side linebacker in Colts pre-draft workouts.
Dwight Freeney is the weak-side pass rusher, and Mathis will be rushing off the strong side as Jarret Johnson did under Chuck Pagano in Baltimore.

Seahawks GM John Schneider laughed off reports that SS Kam Chancellor could be moved to linebacker this year.

"We usually try not to move Pro Bowl players to different positions," said Schneider. Although he's a box safety, moving to linebacker in nickel packages, Chancellor held his own in coverage last year. He graded out as Pro Football Focus' fifth-rated safety in his first season as a starter.

With Asante Samuel out of the mix, the Eagles plan to shadow opposing No. 1 wide receivers with Nnamdi Asomugha.
Samuel strictly played "off" coverage on the left side, which limited the Eagles from moving Asomugha around. Going forward, they'll play more press coverage. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie moves into the starting lineup and Joselio Hanson currently sits as the No. 3/slot corner

ESPN Dallas' Todd Archer senses some concern about 2011 second-round pick Bruce Carter inside the Cowboys' organization.
Carter was the 40th pick in the 2011 draft, and initially projected to start at inside linebacker this winter. The Cowboys then signed Dan Connor in free agency, and said they would have drafted Utah State ILB Bobby Wagner with the 45th pick had they not traded it in the Mo Claiborne deal.

The Bucs plan to start second-round pick Lavonte David at weak-side linebacker.
Mason Foster appears likely to stay at middle linebacker for now, with Quincy Black on the strong side. Those two could end up swapping spots depending on what happens in training camp. David is locked in on the weak side, though,

Director of player personnel Terry McDonough indicated that No. 38 overall pick Andre Branch will play right end with the Jags.
Branch, who led the ACC in sacks as a senior, should win the weak-side end job in camp, kicking Jeremy Mincey over to the left side. Aaron Kampman will likely be released. "We're a 4-3 defense, we have a need at right end," McDonough said. "It's no secret we have a need for someone who can rush the passer."

The Vikings didn't draft any legitimate middle linebackers, essentially locking in Jasper Brinkley as their starter there.
Rookie Audie Cole projects more as a reserve in the middle and on the strong side, and will focus on special teams. ESPN 1500 Twin Cities projects Brinkley as a two-down player only, with Chad Greenway and Erin Henderson staying on the field as Minnesota's lone two linebackers in the nickel defensive package.

The Tampa Bay Times confirms that No. 7 overall pick Mark Barron will play strong safety with the Buccaneers.

Cowboys No. 6 overall pick Morris Claiborne indicated that he hopes to play some offense in Dallas, in addition to his cornerback duties.
Claiborne was recruited to LSU as a receiver before switching to corner during fall camp of his freshman year. "I would love to be a two-way player," he said. Claiborne also wants to return kickoffs, a role in which he excelled at LSU. In 2011, Claiborne averaged 25.1 yards per kick return with a 99-yard score.

NFL suspended Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma for the entire season for his role in the bounty scandal.

The Palm Beach Post still expects the Dolphins to switch to a 4-3 scheme as the primary defense this season.
The coaching staff and local media have hinted that new coordinator Kevin Coyle will flex between the 4-3 and the 3-4

Browns DT Phil Taylor will undergo surgery next week to repair the left pectoral muscle torn while lifting weights on Thursday.
A torn pectoral injury usually costs a player the entire season, though Taylor has an advantage in that it occurred four months before the opener. The timetable should be in the 4-6 month range, leaving Taylor as a candidate to open the season on the PUP list. The loss of Taylor is devastating to a defense with little depth up front.

Ronde Barber began taking reps at safety during the first minicamp Tuesday under new coach Greg Schiano.

Ronde Barber is working as a safety in Bucs OTAs.
Barber's position conversion appears to be full-steam ahead after GM Mark Dominik said last week he'd "likely" play safety in 2012.

Bucs coach Greg Schiano indicated that Ronde Barber will likely continue to cover the slot in nickel packages despite his move to safety.
Schiano conceded that Barber would stay deep if the Bucs don't find another inside corner, but Barber's slot experience is crucial. "Ronde’s had years of playing underneath in nickel and dime, and that would be foolish to totally abandon that, I think," said Schiano. The outside corners will be Eric Wright (RCB) and Aqib Talib (LCB), assuming of course Talib is eligible to play.

Asked to name the Eagles' starting safeties Monday, coach Andy Reid did not include 2011 second-round pick Jaiquawn Jarrett.
Beat writer Jeff McLane believes Reid was sending a "message" to Jarrett, who struggled conceptually as a rookie. Reid declared Kurt Coleman and Nate Allen the current favorites to start.

The Titans continue to pursue veteran help in the secondary. Tennessee plans to meet this week with former Bengals S Chris Crocker and former Dolphins S Yeremiah Bell, The Tennessean reported. Crocker, a nine-year veteran, is accustomed to creeping toward the line. In the last two seasons, he recorded 5.5 sacks. Bell, 34, led Miami in tackles in each of the past four seasons.

Raiders MLB Rolando McClain has been sentenced to 180 days in jail after being found guilty on charges of assault, reckless endangerment, menacing, and wrongful discharge of a firearm.

Who takes his MLB spot?

Travis Goethel is standing in as the Raiders' middle linebacker while Rolando McClain attends to legal woes.

Raiders LB Travis Goethel will miss the 2011 season after tearing a knee ligament.
Goethel will need surgery, ostensibly to repair an ACL tear. The 2010 sixth-round pick had been running as the second-team middle linebacker after offseason indications that he could compete for the starting weak-side job

Raiders MLB Rolando McClain has been sentenced to 180 days in jail after being found guilty on charges of assault, reckless endangerment, menacing, and wrongful discharge of a firearm.

Who takes his MLB spot?

Travis Goethel is standing in as the Raiders' middle linebacker while Rolando McClain attends to legal woes.

Raiders LB Travis Goethel will miss the 2011 season after tearing a knee ligament.
Goethel will need surgery, ostensibly to repair an ACL tear. The 2010 sixth-round pick had been running as the second-team middle linebacker after offseason indications that he could compete for the starting weak-side job

first off, McClain has appealed and requested a trial by jury which will delay anything from happening for months (I'd have to look for a link b/c I heard it on NFL radio)

McClain's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, said he will appeal to Morgan County Circuit Court seeking a jury trial.

"I wanted to put this on so we could show how ridiculous this entire situation is," Steinberg said after the conviction. "It truly is. There's no basis for it. Our feeling was that we should go through it so we could put out there that Rolando did very little, if anything, wrong. He certainly didn't do anything criminal."

McClain was released on the bail he paid following his arrest. He did not respond to reporters' questions before driving away in a white pickup truck.

"I hate that this took place but I'm glad about him being found guilty because it shows that I wasn't lying," Tapscott said following the five-hour trial.

Willingham, 23 of Decatur, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault in the case Thursday morning. He received a 90-day jail sentence.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league will review McClain's case to determine if further punishment is warranted. The Raiders said in a statement that they would continue to monitor the situation.